To live debt-free is not as impossible as it might sound. I was once a skeptic, but now I’m a believer that we can live within our means. Here’s why I think it’s a valid pursuit. Almost eleven years ago my husband and I were convicted to stop using credit and to pay off our […]

FEATURED VIDEO

Want a fun and delicious week of dinners this week? I’ve got you covered with grilled chicken, Crockpot enchiladas, chicken caesar salad, and more good stuff. Print this weekly meal plan and get cooking! Poorman’s Chicken Caesar Salad Ready for an easy week of meals? Well, I’ve got you covered with a weekly meal plan […]

FEATURED VIDEO

Kids’ school and extracurricular schedules, new babies coming into the family, changes in the work place — they can all put a stress on our time management skills. Here are some tips to help you manage your time and enjoy your life as Mom. Oh. my. word. The day starts, and I think I’ve got […]

POPULAR SERIES

For kids of all ages, being served fun foods, each in its own private space is attractive. Check out these Homemade Lunchable Ideas to make your own healthier, cheaper, and tastier bento-style lunches. Lunchables came out in 1989 when I was in 11th grade, working at the local Lucky grocery store as “a courtesy clerk”. […]

GET THE EBOOK

Small Ways to Go Green

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We participate in other affiliate programs as well. For more details, please see our disclosure policy.

Hey there! I'm Jessica. I think that motherhood should be savored, like a good piece of chocolate. But sometimes it feels like more duty than delight. Am I right? I'm working to change that. Read more about me here and this blog here.

It used to be that I thought recycling and environmental issues were for the extremists. You see, I went to a liberal arts college where the environmental studies majors were quite militant and “in your face” about green issues. That just rubbed me the wrong way and made me want to push back.

After awhile, I came to realize that being green didn’t have to be about politics and ostracizing people. It was about stewardship issues. We watched Wall-E the other night and that brought home some of those ideas once again.

Caring for God’s Planet

God gave the earth to Adam and Eve; He gave people dominion over His planet. It just makes sense that we do what we can to take care of it.

And while there are certainly different opinions on how we can go about it, I think it’s worth the effort to find some common ground.

Now, I’m not super green. There are a lot of ways that I’m wasteful. And to be honest, I recycle or make other ecological efforts only when it’s most convenient for me.

But, I want to take steps to make things more convenient.

Small Ways to “Go Green”

This week we’re going to be talking about how to make going green easier. I hope you’ll join me as we explore issues of how to reduce, reuse, recycle. There will be daily giveaways and great conversation about how to take care of this beautiful world God has given us.

What’s an area of Green Living that you would like to try?

The Going Green series is brought to you in part by Alaska Seafood, a wild, natural, and sustainable source of seafood.

Alaska has been responsibly managing all of its wild fisheries, including salmon, black cod, halibut, cod, crab, and spot prawns, for over 50 years, long before sustainability was a household word. Check them out on Facebook and on Twitter @AlaskaSeafood.

Best two ‘home’ cleaning products is vinegar and baking soda. Vinegar has natural disinfecting properties. Fill a spray bottle 1/8 to 1/4 up with vinegar, a squirt or two of dish detergent (optional) and fill with water and you have the best bathroom and kitchen cleaner you can get. Even cleans the ‘gunk’ from your grout if you have tiles in your bathroom. Use to mop your tile or lineoleum/vinyl floors (not wood though !!) You will have a slight vinegar odor but when it’s dry the odor goes away. Vinegar is also good for taking mildew/musty smells out of fabrics (1/4 cup in rinse cycle) or set a dish (out of reach of pets/kids) in a room with a musty/stale smell and it will take away the smell.

Baking soda is a ‘natural’ abrasive and works similar to powdered cleansers (like Comet) and works great for cooked on food on your stove-top.

One of the ways I’ve started to go green is by eliminating small appliances that I can do by hand – like our can opener. It may not be much, but it’s a start! (Plus I recycle, use my reusable bags, etc.)

I used to hate even the thought of “going green” because of all the political nonsense that goes along with that phrase. But a few weeks ago, as we began planting our seedlings for our first real attempt at container gardening, it just hit me- there’s a big difference between the hated “going green” and being a responsible steward of the precious gift God has given to us. Taking the time and energy to be responsible with God’s creations has no political strings attached!
Looking forward to reading your upcoming posts on this subject!

I’m trying to be more conscious about the plastic bags and plastic containers. I have a small collection of bags that I keep in the car (I have to remember to wash them!). Often, I remember to grab a few bags when I head into a store. However, when I was at Walmart yesterday, I brought in my plastic bags to be recycled and walked out the door with more bags. Ugh!

I’m also tired of all the plastic bags for produce, though I haven’t found a way to reduce them yet. And, I’m trying to get rid of our plastic storage containers and switch over to glass by buying glass storage containers and recycling ones that food came in. So many food items come in plastic though!

I have been doing a simliar series on my blog breaking down each room of the home into simple, cost-effective ways to go green. Since you like to cook and use fresh ingredients, composting would be a great thing to try. It will signifcantly reduce your kitchen waste and be of great benefit to your garden (once it decomposes). One thing I would like to focus on is paying more attention to ingredients in personal care products. I look forward to reading your series!

i wasn’t sure were to put my home remedie for the how to keep ur skin mosturizer, for the giveaway. it’s simple So here it is first y need to drink plenty of water, have a good diet, and USE PURE OLIVE OIL on ur skin.

I am trying to cut down the number of chemical cosmetics I use. I have tried to do my own nettle shampoo from fresh nettle and it is great. Especially if you have dandruffs, using less aggresive cosmetics (organic shampoos are the best) helps a lot.

I was green before green was in. My Dad & I used to walk the dog around the school next door to us. He would pick up trash & cans when he did. I got in the habit & often do that when going on dog walks (I just carry one of those dreaded plastic bags that I accumulate, even though I try to always use reusable bags. I went into Bass Pro Shop a couple of weeks ago with my own bag. Security told the clerks to “watch the lady in the green.” The lady @ check-out said that was a great idea, bringing my own bag. Use metal water bottles to wash out & refill to take in the car (daily). Favorite is Thermos 12 Hour insulated ones. I’ve recommended them & given them as gifts & everyone loves them. We recycle & got trash down from 2 big garbage cans to 1 half full one. I keep a bag in front closet & every time my daughter puts something on that no longer fits her, it goes in there. When I want to give away clothes or whatever, into the bag. When 1 bag is full, drop it off @ local Etc Shop. Proceeds go to charity & 2nd hand store in town, where I shop sometimes, too. We try to always pack lunches (when we do) in reusable containers, not plastic bags (even though we use them occassionally).

Disclaimer/Disclosure

Please note that the advertisements posted here do not necessarily represent Jessica Fisher's views and opinions.

Also be advised that some of these advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site (when you click through). You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices.

To better serve my readers, I have implemented Google Analytics cookies in order to better know visitor demographics. For opt outs, go here.